Hit a pothole lately? If it damaged your vehicle, you may be eligible for a check from the state.

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"The tire was destroyed. The rim was all bent. I was pretty upset," said Luke Drevets, of Greenville.

When Drevets hit a pothole in Greenville last year, it caused more than $1,500 worth of damage to his car. Drevets' insurance company filed a claim with the South Carolina Department of Transportation, which paid for the entire amount, plus expenses.

"If (the state) doesn't have the funds to take care of the roads, they might as well reimburse motorists who are getting their vehicles damaged," Drevets said.

WYFF News 4 Investigates obtained a list of SCDOT damage claims through the Freedom of Information Act. The claims, dating back to July 1, 2008, show a steady increase in payouts for pothole damage. More than half of the claims paid out in the last year were for vehicle damage caused by potholes.

One claim, paid to a Quebec, Canada man, was for $22,654. The driver lost control after hitting a pothole on Interstate 95 in Colleton County and totaled his vehicle, according to SCDOT spokesman Pete Poore.

Edwards said there isn't enough money in SCDOTs budget to fix all the potholes. He said even if there was, simply patching the holes is a Band Aid compared to what's needed.

"The real success story would be to go back and fix this stuff right, cut it out, re-asphalt it and make it like a new road," Edwards said.

While damage claims are paid for by the state Insurance Reserve Fund (IRF), SCDOT spends millions on premiums each year. Last year, the agency paid $5,096,018 in IRF premiums and could pay more next year, depending on the number of claims.

"I guess it's a matter of priorities," Edwards said. "Do you want to spend the money on maintenance or do you want to spend the money on paying the insurance company to pay these claims?"

Given the amount of damage to his car, Drevets was happy to bill the state.

"It's their responsibility to take care of (the roads)," Drevets said.